2004 NACE Excellence Awards
Educational Programming—College Winner
“Become a Disease Detective: Discover Public Health!”
The University of Texas at Austin
Students are catching the bug—careers in public health that deal with infectious diseases are becoming very popular. But connecting the students with the careers had been problematic.
“Students are keenly interested in learning about emerging infectious diseases and current topics in public health,” says Diane Kneeland, senior career adviser in the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. “However, they [tend to] have little understanding about the educational pathways and training that lead to public health careers. Likewise, many university faculty members and career counselors are unaware of the diversity of opportunities within the field.”
To raise awareness about the field of public health, the Natural Sciences Department Career Services at the University of Texas at Austin held a conference on September 16, 2003. “Become a Disease Detective: Discover Public Health!,” was sponsored by the University of Texas at Austin, The Texas Department of Health’s Bureau of Laboratories, and the Association of Public Health Laboratories.
Activities included a luncheon program for academic advisers and an evening presentation for university and high school students. At the luncheon, attendees learned about opportunities available in public health and resources they can use to assist students interested in public health careers. During the evening presentation, a keynote speaker and career panel of public health scientists addressed the scope of opportunities available in public health at the local, state, and international levels, and what positions in this field entail.
Following the evening presentation, students interacted with public health professionals and educators at exhibits outside of the lecture hall. An informational web site was created to archive the presentations and serve as an ongoing resource for students. The conference also was the venue to launch a new student group—the Society of Public Health Students.
After collaborating on this event, a partnership formed between the University of Texas and the Texas Department of Health (now the Department of State Health Services) to develop internship opportunities under the supervision of public health scientists in the Bureau of Laboratories and the Bureau of Epidemiology.
“Since the conference, many students specifically come to me and
ask about careers in public health,” Kneeland says. “And as
advisers, we have a greater knowledge of public health careers and are
better able to serve the students interested in this field.”
